Oz Media, Ex-Stars Bitter at 'Rank Turner' Indian Wickets

Australian media along with former players like Shane Warne have jeered at India's spin-friendly pitches following their ignominious eight-wicket defeat in the first Test in Chennai.

Sydney: Australian media along with former players like Shane Warne have jeered at India's spin-friendly pitches following their ignominious eight-wicket defeat in the first Test in Chennai.

Even second-coming spinner Pakistani refugee Fawad Ahmed couldn't resist taking a dig at the Indian wickets, saying Chennai's controversial red-clay pitch reminded him of one they played on at home in the wheat fields of the terror-hit country.

According to an article in News.com.au by columnist, Peter Lalor, spin great Shane Warne joked selectors should have opted for clay court specialist Rafael Nadal.

"This was a made-to-order deck. A sandpit for the Indian spinners and quicksand for an Australian squad that is weak in that department. Michael Clarke's men knew exactly what they were getting themselves in for in the first Test," Lalor said.

"When they got here two weeks ago the lush grass of the Chepauk outfield advanced confidently to the edge of the 22-yard strip then died a sudden and dramatic death. The wicket was ready to go 10 days out and certain to disintegrate," Lalor added.

"Everyone knew that. Everybody also knows that MS Dhoni has shamelessly ordered curators to give his spinners wickets they can exploit. In a clear break with accepted practices, the Indian captain called for rank turners in the series against England," the columnist further said.

Lalor added that Dhoni is a man with extraordinary connections and is extraordinarily close to the most powerful man in world cricket, Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) president N. Srinivasan, who owns India Cement, the company that controls the Indian Premier League franchisee Chennai Super Kings.

"The visitors are going to cop rank turners for the rest of this tour, but not the red-clay Roland Garros surface they got here as Hyderabad, Mohali and Delhi are made of a darker clay," Lalor said.

"Oh, the irony of Dhoni's clash with the Calcutta curator is that they lost that Test and the series. Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann bowled better than the hosts and the England batsmen were also better," the columnist concluded.